New Delhi: India will need to find “Swadeshi” alternatives for products being imported in the country, and that is the main aim of atma-nirbhar bharat, Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari said on Saturday.
Gadkari said that there are several sectors for which manufacturing parts are being imported into the country, and the industry must work towards local manufacturing of these components.
India this year launched the atma-nirbhar bharat abhiyan, centred on promoting domestic companies, and reducing dependence on imports, in a bid to be self-reliant.
“Whatever we are importing, we should have to find a Swadeshi alternative in the country without compromising on the quality and the cost. That is exactly the main mission of atma nirbhar bharat,” Gadkari said addressing the FICCI AGM on Saturday.
“There are a lot of things imported from China. I am seeing a lot of potential for electric cars, electric bikes, electric auto rickshaw, even electric buses,” he added.
He said there were several other sectors where a similar requirement was possible. “Then you have to motivate the people in the direction that we need to reduce our import, and exactly by this way we can make our economy strong,” said Gadkari, who is also the minister for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
He said that the contribution of the manufacturing sector in the country’s GDP should go up from 22% at present to around 30%. Gadkari also said that the industry must focus on creating employment potential in the rural, backward and tribal areas.
“We need to make two plans, one for urban India, one for rural India. Without developing rural India, we cannot expect the good record we are expecting for our atma nirbhar bharat target,” Gadkari said.
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